WSU Plans to ‘Make a Difference’ in Ogden

October 17, 2013

OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University staff, students, faculty and community members are invited to make a difference by getting their hands dirty.

The Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) is hosting WSU Make a Difference Day in Ogden on Oct. 26 beginning at 8:30 a.m. The projects will revolve around CCEL’s Community Engaged Learning Series “On Air,” which features speakers, lectures and activities that raise awareness about Utah’s air quality. Groups will be involved in service that promotes better air quality. Volunteer work will take place in three locations serving multiple organizations:

Ogden Nature Center (966 W. 12th Street, Ogden)

From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., volunteers will dig holes and post “idle-free zone” signs. They will also plant trees.

Antelope Island State Park (4538 W. 1700 South, Syracuse)

From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., volunteers will dig holes and plant trees.

WSU Community Garden (1380 E. 4225 S. Ogden)

From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., volunteers will pull weeds, pick up fallen fruit and wheel compost to the garden.

Volunteers should meet in the parking lot east of the Dee Events Center at 8:30 a.m. Cherise Udell, founder of Utah Moms for Clean Air, will kick off the day with a brief introduction, while volunteers eat complimentary purple pancakes. The first 100 volunteers to arrive will receive free Make a Difference Day T-shirts.

Volunteers are advised to bring their own shovel, pick or rake, gloves and water bottles. They should wear closed-toed shoes and clothes that can get dirty.

“We hope through this project, students will gain a better knowledge of our clean air issues in Utah and find outlets that can help them make a difference,” said Mike Moon, assistant director of CCEL. “Our purpose is to expand students’ vision of the larger community’s needs and the way they can contribute.”

CCEL is working with the Utah Transit Authority to provide transportation for volunteers to travel to their respective work sites in accordance with the clean-air initiative.

Make a Difference Day is a national day of service sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine and Points of Light for more than 20 years. For more information, visit makeadifferenceday.com or weber.edu/ccel.

“Weber State University makes the Ogden-area great for students looking to improve their community and make a difference,” said Divya Raghavan, analyst and author of the study at NerdWallet. “The folks in Ogden are some of the most generous people in the country, according to our data, and Weber State University is helping continue that positive trend.”